Minister for Veterans' Affairs

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
	Incumbent; Matt Keogh ; since 1 June 2022
	Department of Veterans' Affairs
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holder	Edward Millen ; (as Minister for Repatriation)
Formation	28 September 1917
Website	minister.dva.gov.au/minister-veterans-affairs

Last updated October 24, 2023

The Minister for Veterans' Affairs is an Australian Government position. In the Government of Australia, the minister oversees income support, compensation, care and commemoration programs for more than 400,000 veterans and their widows, widowers and dependants; and administers the portfolio through the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Since 2017 the office has been held in conjunction with the Minister for Defence Personnel

Scope

The minister is also responsible for the following agencies:^[1]

Australian War Memorial
Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission
Office of Australian War Graves
Repatriation Commission
Repatriation Medical Authority
Review of Service Delivery Arrangements
Specialist Medical Review Council
Veterans' Review Board
Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service

List of ministers

Veterans' affairs

The portfolio was created by Billy Hughes. It was called Minister for Repatriation from the appointment of the first Minister, Edward Millen on 28 September 1917 to deal with ex-soldiers returning from World War I. Stanley Bruce chose not to include a Minister for Repatriation in his ministry (1923–29), but his successor James Scullin restored it, and it has continued ever since, under different names. Gough Whitlam changed the portfolio title to Minister for Repatriation and Compensation in 1974; Malcolm Fraser restored it to its original title in 1975, and then changed it to Minister for Veterans' Affairs on 5 October 1976, Peter Durack being the last minister under the old title and the first under the new.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister for Veterans' Affairs, or any of its precedent titles:^[2]

Order	Minister		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Edward Millen	Nationalist	Hughes	Minister for Repatriation	28 September 1917 (1917-09-28)	9 February 1923 (1923-02-09)	5 years, 134 days

2	Frank Anstey	Labor	Scullin	Minister for Repatriation	22 October 1929 (1929-10-22)	3 March 1931 (1931-03-03)	1 year, 132 days
3	John McNeill	Labor	Scullin		3 March 1931 (1931-03-03)	6 January 1932 (1932-01-06)	309 days
4	Charles Hawker	United Australia	Lyons		6 January 1932 (1932-01-06)	12 April 1932 (1932-04-12)	97 days
5	Charles Vukovich				12 April 1932 (1932-04-12)	12 October 1934 (1934-10-12)	2 years, 183 days
6	Billy Hughes				12 October 1934 (1934-10-12)	6 November 1935 (1935-11-06)	1 year, 25 days
7	Joseph Lyons				8 November 1935 (1935-11-08)	6 February 1936 (1936-02-06)	90 days
n/a	Billy Hughes				6 February 1936 (1936-02-06)	29 November 1937 (1937-11-29)	1 year, 296 days
8	Harry Foll				29 November 1937 (1937-11-29)	7 April 1939 (1939-04-07)	1 year, 148 days
8	Harry Foll		Page		7 April 1939 (1939-04-07)	26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)	1 year, 148 days
9	Eric Harrison		Menzies		26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)	14 March 1940 (1940-03-14)	323 days
10	Geoffrey Street				14 March 1940 (1940-03-14)	13 August 1940 (1940-08-13)	152 days
11	Philip McBride				14 August 1940 (1940-08-14)	28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)	75 days
12	George McLeay				28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)	26 June 1941 (1941-06-26)	241 days
13	Herbert Collett				26 June 1941 (1941-06-26)	29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)	103 days
13	Herbert Collett		Fadden		29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)	7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)	103 days
14	Charles Frost	Labor	Curtin		7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)	6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)	5 years, 25 days
			Forde		6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)	13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)
			Chifley		13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)	1 November 1946 (1946-11-01)
15	Claude Barnard		Chifley		1 November 1946 (1946-11-01)	19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)	3 years, 48 days
16	Walter Cooper	Country	Menzies		19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)	29 December 1960 (1960-12-29)	11 years, 10 days
17	Frederick Osborne	Liberal			29 December 1960 (1960-12-29)	22 December 1961 (1961-12-22)	358 days
18	Reginald Swartz	Liberal			22 December 1961 (1961-12-22)	22 December 1964 (1964-12-22)	3 years, 0 days
19	Colin McKellar	Country			22 December 1964 (1964-12-22)	26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)	4 years, 325 days
			Holt		26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)	19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)
			McEwen		19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)	10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)
			Gorton		10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)	12 November 1969 (1969-11-12)
20	Mac Holten		Gorton		12 November 1969 (1969-11-12)	10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)	3 years, 23 days
20	Mac Holten		McMahon		10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)	5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)	3 years, 23 days
21	Lance Barnard ¹	Labor	Whitlam		5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)	19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)	14 days
22	Reg Bishop				19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)	12 June 1974 (1974-06-12)	1 year, 175 days
23	John Wheeldon			Minister for Repatriation and Compensation	12 June 1974 (1974-06-12)	11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)	1 year, 152 days
24	Don Chipp	Liberal	Fraser	Minister for Repatriation and Compensation	11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)	22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)	41 days
25	Kevin Newman			Minister for Repatriation	22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)	8 July 1976 (1976-07-08)	199 days
26	Peter Durack			Minister for Repatriation	8 July 1976 (1976-07-08)	5 October 1976 (1976-10-05)	1 year, 60 days
26	Peter Durack			Minister for Veterans' Affairs	5 October 1976 (1976-10-05)	6 September 1977 (1977-09-06)	1 year, 60 days
26	Victor Garland ²				6 September 1977 (1977-09-06)	4 July 1978 (1978-07-04)	301 days
27	Evan Adermann	Nationals			4 July 1978 (1978-07-04)	3 November 1980 (1980-11-03)	2 years, 122 days
28	Tony Messner	Liberal			3 November 1980 (1980-11-03)	11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	2 years, 128 days
29	Arthur Gietzelt	Labor	Hawke		11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)	24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	4 years, 135 days
30	Ben Humphreys		Hawke		24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)	20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	5 years, 243 days
30	Ben Humphreys		Keating		20 December 1991 (1991-12-20)	24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)	5 years, 243 days
31	John Faulkner				24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)	25 March 1994 (1994-03-25)	1 year, 1 day
32	Con Sciacca				25 March 1994 (1994-03-25)	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	1 year, 352 days
33	Bruce Scott	Nationals	Howard		11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)	26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	5 years, 260 days
35	Danna Vale	Liberal			26 November 2001 (2001-11-26)	26 October 2004 (2004-10-26)	2 years, 335 days
36	De-Anne Kelly	Nationals			26 October 2004 (2004-10-26)	27 January 2006 (2006-01-27)	1 year, 93 days
37	Bruce Billson	Liberal			27 January 2006 (2006-01-27)	3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	1 year, 310 days
38	Alan Griffin	Labor	Rudd		3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)	24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)	2 years, 284 days
38	Alan Griffin		Gillard		24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)	13 September 2010 (2010-09-13)	2 years, 284 days
39	Warren Snowdon		Gillard		13 September 2010 (2010-09-13)	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	3 years, 5 days
39	Warren Snowdon		Rudd		1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)	3 years, 5 days
40	Michael Ronaldson	Liberal	Abbott		18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)	15 September 2015	2 years, 3 days
40	Michael Ronaldson		Turnbull		15 September 2015	21 September 2015	2 years, 3 days
41	Stuart Robert				21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)	18 February 2016	150 days
42	Dan Tehan				18 February 2016 (2016-02-18)	20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	1 year, 305 days
43	Michael McCormack	Nationals			20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	5 March 2018 (2018-03-05)	68 days
44	Darren Chester				5 March 2018 (2018-03-05)	28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	3 years, 119 days
44	Darren Chester		Morrison		28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	2 July 2021 (2021-07-02)	3 years, 119 days
45	Andrew Gee		Morrison		2 July 2021 (2021-07-02)	23 May 2022 (2022-05-23)	325 days
46	Matt Keogh	Labor	Albanese		1 June 2022 (2022-06-01)	Incumbent	1 year, 144 days

Notes

¹ Barnard was part of a two-man ministry that comprised Barnard and Gough Whitlam for fourteen days, until the full ministry was commissioned.

² Malcolm Fraser initially chose Senator Glen Sheil for the portfolio, and he was sworn in as a member of the Federal Executive Council. But before he was sworn in as a minister, Sheil professed his support for the South African apartheid regime, which was very much at odds with the Fraser government's position. Fraser decided not to proceed with Sheil’s appointment to the Ministry, and his appointment as an Executive Councillor was terminated. Garland was appointed in his place.

Assisting the prime minister for the centenary of ANZAC

Order	Minister		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Warren Snowdon	Labor	Gillard	Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of ANZAC	3 March 2011	27 June 2013	2 years, 199 days
1	Warren Snowdon	Labor	Rudd		27 June 2013	18 September 2013	2 years, 199 days
2	Michael Ronaldson	Liberal	Abbott		18 September 2013	15 September 2015	2 years, 3 days
2	Michael Ronaldson		Turnbull		15 September 2015	21 September 2015	2 years, 3 days
3	Stuart Robert				21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)	18 February 2016 (2016-02-18)	150 days
4	Dan Tehan				18 February 2016 (2016-02-18)	20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	1 year, 305 days
5	Michael McCormack	National			20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)	5 March 2018 (2018-03-05)	75 days
6	Darren Chester				5 March 2018 (2018-03-05)	28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	1 year, 85 days
6	Darren Chester		Morrison		28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)	1 year, 85 days

War service homes

Between 1932 and 1938 there was also a Minister in charge of War Service Homes. This position was revived with Herbert Collett's appointment as Minister without portfolio administering War Service Homes in 1939, but was subsumed by Bert Lazzarini's appointment as Minister for Works and Housing in 1945.

The following individuals have been appointed as Minister in charge of War Service Homes, or any of its precedent titles:^[2]

Order	Minister		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Josiah Francis	United Australia	Lyons	Minister in charge of War Service Homes	6 January 1932 (1932-01-06)	9 November 1934 (1934-11-09)	2 years, 307 days
2	Harold Thorby	Country		Minister without portfolio in charge of War Service Homes	9 November 1934 (1934-11-09)	11 September 1936 (1936-09-11)	1 year, 307 days
3	James Hunter	Country		Minister without portfolio in charge of War Service Homes	11 September 1936 (1936-09-11)	29 November 1937 (1937-11-29)	1 year, 79 days
4	Harry Foll	United Australia		Minister in charge of War Service Homes	29 November 1937 (1937-11-29)	7 November 1938 (1938-11-07)	343 days

5	Herbert Collett	United Australia	Menzies	Minister without portfolio administering War Service Homes	26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)	14 March 1940 (1940-03-14)	2 years, 61 days
				Minister without portfolio in charge of War Service Homes	14 March 1940 (1940-03-14)	13 August 1940 (1940-08-13)
				Minister in charge of War Service Homes	14 August 1940 (1940-08-14)	28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)
				Minister without portfolio administering War Service Homes	28 October 1940 (1940-10-28)	26 June 1941 (1941-06-26)
6	Charles Frost	Labor	Curtin	Minister in charge of War Service Homes	7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)	6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)	3 years, 279 days
6	Charles Frost	Labor	Forde	Minister in charge of War Service Homes	6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)	13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)	3 years, 279 days

List of assistant ministers

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	Matt Thistlethwaite		Labor	Albanese	Assistant Minister for the Veterans' Affairs	1 June 2022 (2022-06-01)	Incumbent	1 year, 144 days

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References

↑ "Minister for Veterans' Affairs". Government of Australia . Retrieved 9 December 2007.
1 2 "Ministries and Cabinets". 43rd Parliamentary Handbook: Historical information on the Australian Parliament. Parliament of Australia. 2010. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2013.

External links

Official website

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[1] "Minister for Veterans' Affairs". Government of Australia . Retrieved 9 December 2007.

[parl-2] 1 2 "Ministries and Cabinets". 43rd Parliamentary Handbook: Historical information on the Australian Parliament. Parliament of Australia. 2010. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2013.

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